Mrs Norris makes her rounds
by allegro63
Summary: Follow Mrs. Norris as she puts her feline impact on the residents of Hogwarts.


Mrs. Norris started her day as she always did, with a stretch and a nibble of breakfast. The person, who she allowed to be her primary servant, had long ago learned what her favorite breakfast was and had left it in her bowl for her. After breakfast, she strolled leisurely outside towards a fountain on the grounds and had a drink of cool water.

Being the resident of a wizarding school had its advantages and disadvantages for a cat like Mrs. Norris. She had no magical abilities of her own, but she often took advantage of other's magic when it suited her purpose. A disadvantage to living at Hogwarts was that there were children there as well. Children who thought it great delight to put her in suits of armor, or lob stink bombs at her as she napped. She wasn't that fond of several of the adults because they attempted to ban her from their quarters or classrooms.

Adding up her agenda in her feline mind, Mrs. Norris set off for the first task of the day; litter box detail. Using a mere box with sandy pebbles was beneath her, as she was certain she was descended from feline royalty. Mrs. Norris preferred leaving her deposits in places and with the greatest impact of those she felt were quite deserving of such a present. Today the person receiving her gift could be found in the Slytherin wing. He had well earned what she was about to do, as this human had, without remorse, and with much delight, had levitated her to a chandelier in the great hall. While the jump down to safety was no great feat for Mrs. Norris, the suffering to her pride was extreme. Revenge was in order.

Quietly, as was her usual habit, she entered the Slytherin wing, and crept upstairs to the boy's ward. Finding the room with her victim, she sniffed out where his shoes were, and did her business within them. This particular student was stupider then most, and would not even think to look before putting his feet into her little surprise. Mrs. Norris then found her hiding place, near her escape route and waited. Sure enough soon, the human named Goyle let out a bellow, and started jumping around making sure that the mess he had stepped into spread. The laughter of the other boys made for an even more satisfactory conclusion of a task well completed.

That done, Mrs. Norris decided on a nap. She made her way up to Miss. Trelwaney's classroom. She chose that classroom for her early morning nap for several reasons. First, because the first class didn't start for a few hours; second because it was quiet and out of the way this time of the morning, and third, because Trelawaney had left her shawl behind, and it just cried for a bit a Norris embellishment. Curling up on the shawl in such a way that the shawl could receive the maximum amount of shed fur, Mrs. Norris settled down for a catnap. She knew that the teacher was allergic and would spend the rest of the day sneezing at the irritation caused by Mrs. Norris's fur on her shawl, but Mrs. Norris thought Trelawaney irritating. The woman was always trying to make friends with her, and talking that dreadful baby-like talk to get her attention.

Mrs. Norris woke up just as Trelawaney entered her classroom. She jumped down and sauntered to the exit giving the teacher just enough time to notice her, but not enough time to start in on that dreadful "pretty kitty" stuff. Chuckling as she heard the first sneeze, she left the tower rested and ready for the next task on her list.

Strolling along the hallway, she saw a group of boys huddled around each other and laughing. Mrs. Norris got into an observation position and watched for a moment. She didn't know what they were up to, but being from Gryffindor, she deduced it was something worth telling Filch about. She quickly found the caretaker, and rubbed up against his leg. "What is it Mrs. Norris?" Filch asked the cat. "You need to see what those boys are doing." She replied. Unfortunately Filch was not fluent in cat. All he understood was "mrreow". However he understood enough that she had seen something suspect, looked around and saw the group of Gryffindor students. He walked quickly over to them, certain of catching them in something nefarious. Mrs. Norris turned and walked away, already bored with the event, having done her "spy on the students" deed for the day.

Just then she saw Goyle and his friends at the same time they saw her. "I'm gonna get that stupid cat." Goyle growled. "She ruined my shoes. I wonder how she'll like going swimming." Mrs. Norris knew when to make a hasty retreat, and soon was out of sight of Goyle and his partners in feline terror. "Obviously he hasn't learned his lesson to be nice to me." She thought, planning a return visit to his room, with a new present in store. She was still deciding on whether a nice wet hairball on his pillow or more of the same from this morning in his sock drawer was the better, when she reached her next destination.

Mrs. Norris found an out of the way perch and gazed longingly at the door to the room that for any cat contained culinary delights beyond their wildest dreams. She had often observed boxes with ferrets, mice and other small but tasty creatures enter the room, which the humans called The Transfiguration Classroom, but she herself had yet to find a way to enter so she could feast on the banquet she knew lay within. The human who oversaw the going-ons in the classroom had long since discovered Mrs. Norris's attempts to sneak an easy lunch, and had placed magical barriers at all the entrances. Thwarted by using the usual methods, the cat instead was reduced to waiting outside the classroom in hopes that a student would let one of the creatures they were trying to transform escape. If it escaped there was a good chance that it would exit the room and into Mrs. Norris's paws. However, the only prey that had exited the room all semester was a snail, and it wasn't very tasty.

Noticing the teacher walking by, Mrs. Norris feigned disinterest in the interior of the Transfiguration classroom by washing her face. "I see you lurking there," Said the human known as Mcgonagall "You'll have no luck here, why don't you go pester Snape for a change?" The teacher swept into the room, closing the door firmly behind her. The cat wrinkled her little nose of the thought of Snape's classroom. It always smelled unpleasant, thanks to the many failed attempts by students to make a proper potion. She jumped down from her perch to find a suitable location for a mid-afternoon nap. She did her best scheming while napping, and she felt that the transfiguring teacher needed a quick lesson in proper respect for the royalty that was Mrs. Norris. How to do so without entering the woman's rooms was the problem she planned on solving during her nap.

Mrs Norris woke to the sounds of students heading to the Great Hall for lunch. Stretching, and yawning, she took her own route to the room, getting there ahead of most of the students, and under a table where a group of first years were sure to sit. She had long ago discovered that first years were the most likely to feed her portions of their meal, not having yet discovered the connection between her and Filch. Mrs. Norris used that to her full advantage, then sated, made her way to the dungeons. She needed a couple of ingredients for the lesson she had decided on for Mcgonagall.

She caught three spiders and a couple of crickets which she promptly ate. They would digest nicely with the hair she had ingested earlier while bathing. The combination would be deposited just outside Mcgonagall's door in the morning. Mrs. Norris had been studying her walking habits and had calculated where to leave the deposit for maximum impact.

Before she went back upstairs, she found and caught a nice hairy spider as a thank you for Hermione. The girl had just yesterday, rescued Mrs. Norris from a group of fifth year boys who were attempting to stuff her into a trunk. As humans went Hermione wasn't so bad. She made her way to the girl's room, and placed the spider on her pillow, patting it firmly with a paw a few times, so that it stuck a bit to the fabric. Mrs. Norris was certain that Hermione would scream in delight upon discovering her gift. Or was it fright? Mrs. Norris could never figure that out. It didn't matter to her much, because she considered a hairy spider an excellent payment for such an act of kindness bestowed upon her royal self.

It was time for her mid-afternoon siesta, which she took in the kitchen. The house elves revered her presence greatly, and made sure there was a warm hearth for her, and a dish of chopped fish for her when she awoke. She couldn't understand why the humans in residence were finding it so difficult to adore her as the house elves clearly did. That is why she made it a habit of visiting the kitchen daily, so she could bask in the attention she so richly deserved. Mrs. Norris being left alone and in such a cozy location slept for several hours, while the elves prepared dinner for the residents of Hogswarts. She awoke, ate, then she made her royal exit to the bows of her house elf subjects. She had business to attend to at Goyle's sock drawer. As she was sure he was at dinner, she knew she had plenty of time. While she was at it, she decided to shred, some paper she found on a desk. Content with the lesson she had left for Goyle and the superb decoration she had left in the room, Mrs. Norris made her way back downstairs, so she could take a tour of the grounds.

She felt it her duty, to make sure that no student was outside after hours, and to do nightly checks on her fresh food supply. This usually took several hours to do, as the grounds were extensive, and she often found herself distracted chasing moths, especially if the moon was out. She also made it a point to check in on her treasure cache that she had made at the Whomping Willow. The tree may terrorize students, but it had always welcomed her. She peeked into a natural hollow under a root, and saw that her treasure was quite safe. She was quite happy with the collection of quills, buttons, coins and badges she had obtained, but the piece de resistance had yet to be acquired. What would make her treasure complete was difficult to obtain. Even humans seemed to have a hard time with the object, although the went to great lengths to recapture it when ever they accidentally turned it loose. Why all the school gathered to catch this object eluded Mrs. Norris, as she would have never allowed it to fly free. Obtaining this shiny ball with wings, the humans called a Snitch was a quest Mrs. Norris was determined to see fulfilled successfully.

Content that her treasure was still secure, Mrs. Norris settled in front of the cache's opening for a quick nap, as her evening excursion had tired her. After the moon had set, she went back inside to her bed by the fire in Filch's room for some serious sleeping.

The next morning, Mrs. Norris checked on the success of the previous day's lessons. Goyle didn't even notice his sock drawer, to the cat's disappointment, but then she remembered from the scent around his ankle that the student wasn't in the habit of changing his socks daily. "Good." She thought, knowing her lesson would be even more effective by its sheer aroma when he finally did discover it. She went downstairs just in time to hear Mcgonagall complaining to Filch. "You just got to keep that cat of yours in your room at night Filch," she complained. "She left a nasty hairball right outside my door. It's a good thing I saw it, too." Mrs. Norris, once again feigning indifference listened intently to this exchange while she bathed her face, then brushed her tail with her tongue. "Don't you think I don't know you did that on purpose cat." Mcgonagall said to Mrs. Norris. "Why she wouldn't do such a thing on purpose. "Filch said in her defense, "Why she's just a harmless little kitty." "If she's harmless, then Hagrid's pets are downright cuddly." Mcgonagall retorted over her shoulder as she left. Mrs. Norris was disappointed. She never did find out whether or not her lesson was stepped on or not.

Just then she heard Malfoy and his friends approach. Crouching behind a statue, she observed their passing and heard with increasing satisfaction their conversation. "I can't believe Professor Sprout didn't believe me when I told her that Filch's filthy cat shredded my homework. 30-point demerit from Slytherin, for not turning in my homework and for lying. That cat is going to meet a nasty end when I catch her." Malfoy said as they passed by the statue where Mrs. Norris was crouched behind. She knew she'd had to keep a sharp eye out for Malfoy and his brainless friends for a few days. She never expected that redistributing a piece of paper so beautifully into multiple pieces across a room would have such delightful and unexpected results. She closed her eyes and purred, remembering the fun she had shredding the paper she know knew as Malfoy's homework. It had been joyful to hear the sound the paper made as it tore, and the irresistible desire to pounce on the pieces of paper as they fell from the desk to the floor. She decided right then that she would just have to find more such paper and play that game again; right after she had a nap.

She Passed Peeves on her way to play with paper in the Ravenclaw wing. She meowed a hello in passing, and he answered her back in her own language, something she found most rewarding. The ghost was one of only a few at Hogswart who could communicate on such high level as herself. "What are you planning for yourself this hour Mrs. Norris?" Peeves asked her. "I have discovered that shredding paper called homework is such great fun, it falls so prettily. I am going to find some and play for awhile." She answered as she used a paw to wipe a dust mote off a whisker. "Most excellent," Peeves replied with a chortle. "I hope you have a wonderfully destructive time." "Oh, I am certain that I will. She said as she walked on by Peeves and into the Ravenclaw wing.

She spent a happy hour playing her game, and even risked a brief rest, as she sleepily watched the paper fibers float like dust motes around the room.. Growing a bit hungry, she had lunch hand fed to her by the first years. She had to reprimand one of them for attempting to pet her, by biting the child's hand. Then she beat a hasty retreat, as the child let out a horrible screech, hurting Mrs. Norris's sensitive ears.

As the transfiguration classroom was currently empty, Mrs. Norris stood outside the door pondering. She could smell mice, in there and it was making her hungry all over again. She wondered if she could talk Peeves into helping her. He didn't seem to have any trouble entering any classroom he chose. Surely he could go into this one and bring her a mouse, or two. She could catch all the mice she wanted on the grounds of Hogswarts, but the one that were forbidden to her were the ones she desired the most. Turning away, she set off to find Peeves, wondering what mayhem he would ask of her in return. Thiers was a companionable relationship having traded of favors for each other on several occasions.

She soon found the ghost and they came to a satisfactory agreement for the exchange of services. She once again waited outside the transfiguration classroom as the students entered. Mcgonagall noticed her of course, as Mrs. Norris had placed herself in full and obvious view, just as Peeves had instructed her. She didn't know how he was going to get mice through a closed door as it was tight. She had never seen anything go under the door. Even the snail she had managed to capture had wandered out while the door was open during class changes. Nevertheless, she waited.

Soon Peeves came floating past, and went into the classroom. Mrs. Norris never knew exactly what happened next, but whatever it was, it was quite noisy, with screams and crashes heard, along with the shouts of Mcgonagall's shouts for the students to remain calm and for Peeves to get out. Peeves gleefully complied and sailed through the door laughing all the way down the hall. He no sooner had passed through the door when it flew open and two girls went screaming down the hall behind him. She was watching the girls in wonder when movement caught her eye. To her great surprise she saw not one mouse but two of them, scampering through the classroom door and making their way towards a crack in the wall along the hallway. She hesitated, but only briefly before she pounced on the first mouse just as it reached the crack, stunning it. The second mouse unfortunately discovered her presence, and with a squeak, turned right around and ran back into the classroom.

At last, a prize she had long waited for. She picked up her mouse, and looked right at Mcgonagall triumphantly. The woman to Mrs. Norris's surprise was actually smiling at her. "Enjoy your mouse." Mcgonagall said to Mrs. Norris. "Yhe next one will be even harder to catch, as I'll make sure Peeves can't help you." Mrs. Norris turned her back on the teacher and flicking her tail up into the air, decided that the best place to eat her prize was on Snape's bed.


End file.
